A Tale of Two Walkways

Two walkways connecting the same road to the same chapel. Two walkways that link the weddings of two former Assistant Directors, thirty years apart, to each other.

Amy Dover, originally from Shreveport, became part of the Camp family very early on in the ‘70’s, having spent multiple summers as a camper and staff member – and eventually becoming the Assistant Director of the Camp.

Amy and Howard- 1983

When Amy decided to get married, she could think of no other place to have the ceremony than at Jacobs Camp. Those were dusty times here – those newer to HSJ don’t know that the roads in Camp were just paved about ten years ago. As a wedding gift from the Camp to the couple, then director Macy Hart had an asphalt walkway laid from the road to the chapel. The walk was poured in a straight line (the shortest distance between two points), and remained as part of the camp landscape long after the ceremony had passed.

On September 4th, 1983, Amy Dover married Howard Neistein at the Goldberg Chapel beside Lake Gary. Thirty years later, they still hold fond memories of the ceremony – and the reception that followed in the dining hall.

Anna and Nadav- 2013

Anna Blumenfeld, originally from Dothan, became part of the Camp family very early on in the ‘90’s, having spent multiple summers as a camper and staff member – and eventually becoming the Assistant Director of the Camp.

Nadav Herman, originally from Israel, became part of the Camp Family in 2005, and went on to spend eight summers as a staff member. When Anna, now working for the URJ Camping System in New York, came for one of her annual summer visits, sparks flew (after some good over-thinking on Anna’s part!), and love blossomed.

When Anna and Nadav decided to get married, they could think of no other place to have the ceremony than at Jacobs Camp. As a wedding gift from the Camp to the couple, I decided it was time to replace the walkway from the road to the chapel. The new walk now has a couple of curves in it to better match the terrain, and new lighting has been added; it, too, will remain a part of the camp landscape for years to come.

On October 26th, 2013, Anna Blumenfeld married Nadav Herman at the Goldberg Chapel beside Lake Gary. Thirty years from now, I know they will still hold fond memories of the ceremony – and the reception that followed in the breezeway.

Two walkways connecting the same road to the same chapel. Two walkways that link the weddings of two former Assistant Directors, thirty years apart, to each other.

Over the years, so many couples have found each other at Jacobs Camp. It’s a source of great pride for the entire Camp family when these couples marry. We now even have a Camp Chuppah that Camp Couples may borrow for use at their weddings. (Thanks to Robin & Dotan Harpak for coming up with the idea, and being the first couple to be married underneath it!) It’s rare that Camp Couples choose to get married in Utica (although we have hosted multiple weddings for folks from Utica). I know they all consider it; but, the execution of a wedding is a complicated task, and having it at Camp brings its own set of variables. But, when they do, it is truly an honor and privilege for us – and we go out of our way to make sure the occasion is as special as it can be.

When Amy & Howard made that choice more than thirty years ago, and when Anna & Nadav made that choice a year ago, they became linked to each other, to the legacy of the Camp, and to all of us who, since 1970, have called Jacobs our home. To both couples, and all of our camp couples, we say Siman Tov u’Mazel Tov!